Lord Nelson Nabs Texas Red in San Vicente

Lord Nelson spoiled the 3-year-old coming-out party for Texas Red in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II)  at Santa Anita Park Feb. 1, nipping the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner by a neck in a terrific finish.



Both colts ran well from off the pace, with Lord Nelson and Rafael Bejarano on the far outside tagging Texas Red and Kent Desormeaux just before the wire while completing seven furlongs in 1:22.15. The victory was the ninth in the San Vicente for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, and his fourth in the past five years.



Texas Red, splitting horses in the stretch and getting through on the rail to gain a narrow advantage over Sir Samson in the final sixteenth of a mile, also put in a fine effort in his seasonal debut for trainer Keith Desormeaux.

"(Bejarano) had him going nice and easy and he went wide and looked like he was sort of hanging," Baffert said. "I saw the Desormeaux horse (Texas Red) coming up the rail and I thought, 'Well, he's (Lord Nelson) gone.' But he sort of kicked back in."



Lord Nelson was the 19-10 second choice in the field of six sophomores. Baffert trains the winning son of Pulpit for Peachtree Stable. Clearsky Farms bred Lord Nelson in Kentucky out of the Seeking the Gold mare African Jade. 

Like the 7-10 favorite Texas Red, Lord Nelson was making his 3-year-old debut in the San Vicente. The chestnut colt is now undefeated in three sprint starts, including a 6 3/4-length romp in Santa Anita's Speakeasy Stakes at six furlongs last October.



Texas Red lost nothing in defeat in his first start since his explosive 6 1/2-length triumph in the Juvenile Nov. 1 at Santa Anita. He remains one of the top prospects in the nation for this year's Triple Crown series.

Keith Desormeaux said Texas Red got what he needed out of the sprint, but added, "It's a little disappointing, you know, 'cause it's so close to winning, but the long-term goal is well within reach."

Desormeaux said Texas Red is probably going to the Risen Star Stakes (gr. II) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 21 at 1 1/16 miles before returning to California for the nine-furlong Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) April 4.

The Baffert-trained Punctuate was one of two early scratches, reducing the San Vicente field to six.



Lord Nelson, breaking from the rail, hopped in the air at the start and raced fourth along the inside down the backstretch as Texas Red dropped back to trail. Serbian Syclone, shadowed by Jazzy Josh, dictated the early pace while posting fractions of :23.08 and :45.98. Sir Samson, stalking on the far outside for Joe Talamo, progressed on the leaders leaving the turn for home and gradually took control in the stretch.

"(Lord Nelson) broke a little slow but then he took off and I was able to find position right away," Bejarano said. "I knew (Serbian Syclone, Jazzy Josh, and Sir Samson) were going to have speed so I let them go and tried to save ground around the turn."



Sir Samson, a 23-1 outsider, led by one length at the furlong mark and looked like a threat to go all the way until Texas Red, after jostling a bit in upper stretch, found a way through for Desormeaux to get a slight lead. But the 123-pound topweight could not hold off Lord Nelson, who had angled to the outside at the head of the lane and closed furiously under urging from Bejarano to get up just in time.

"I let him go once we were clear and I knew at the five-eighths pole," Bejarano said. "Texas Red was the horse to beat and I was waiting for him. When he came to us I let (Lord Nelson) go and my horse took off again."



Sir Samson finished three-quarters of a length farther back in third, followed by Bench Warrant, Jazzy Josh, and Serbian Syclone.



Carrying 118 pounds, Lord Nelson paid $5.80, $2.60, and $2.20 across the board, teaming with Texas Red ($2.20, $2.10) for a chalky $9.80 exacta. Sir Samson paid $3.40 to show.

"It was a tough beat because he flew home," Kent Desormeaux said of Texas Red. "I had to carry another horse (Bench Warrant) around the turn, there was a little bumping and shoving.



"He had a real rally at the end. The pace wasn't much so they had something left. He was trying to catch horses with gas in the tank still. There's no love lost here."



Peachtree Stable's John Fort purchased Lord Nelson for $340,000 from the Clearsky Farms consignment at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale. Lord Nelson is the first winner produced by his dam, African Jade. His second dam is grade/group I winner Miss Linda, a champion filly in her native Argentina



Lord Nelson ran fifth after a terrible trip in his previous start as the 7-5 favorite in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II) Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs. He posted his third win in five career starts in the San Vicente while nearly doubling his earnings to $249,571 with the $120,000 winning purse.

As for his next race, Baffert said, "We'll play it by ear. We're just trying to stay healthy...but I like what he did today. Coming up to the race he was really training well, but sometimes they'll do that and won't run. But he ran like he'd been working."